The New York State Department of Health has published its eighth annual report on hospital-acquired infections, featuring state and individual hospital HAI rates. The report shows substantial progress in reducing some of the most troublesome HAIs.
The HAIs selected for reporting in 2014 include various surgical site infections, central line-associated bloodstream infections in intensive care units and Clostridium difficile and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infection rates occurring on admission and during a patient's hospital stay. The report also includes progress of HAI prevention projects supported by the NYSDOH.
Highlighted below are five takeaways from the report on HAIs in The Empire State.
1. All reportable HAI rates have declined since public reporting began. Overall, New York hospitals have prevented an estimated 15,000 infections since statewide reporting began in 2007.
2. Based on reported data, 8,890 cases of hospital-onset C. diff infections occurred in patients in 2014, down 32 percent since the state started collecting data in 2010.
3. CRE infections numbered 1,345, a decrease of 18 percent since the state started collecting data in 2013.
4. SSIs decreased for three different types of procedures — abdominal hysterectomy surgery (down 15 percent since 2012), hip replacement or revision surgery (down 10 percent since 2008) and coronary artery bypass graft-chest site (down 37 percent since 2007)
5. CLABSIs in ICUs decreased 57 percent in 2014 from 2007, the first year the state collected data.
"The 2014 report shows that New York hospitals are making tremendous strides toward reducing hospital-acquired infections," said Commissioner of Health Howard A. Zucker, MD. "Reducing these infections requires constant vigilance and preventive strategies."
To access the full "Hospital-Acquired Infections-New York State 2014" report, click here.
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